It was 2008, and Jen Adrion and Omar Noory were just one year out of design school. They were doing what they were supposed to be doing—Jen was teaching at their alma mater while freelancing, and Omar had landed a job at a local design studio. From their tiny apartment in Columbus, Ohio, they were making ends meet with a side business with job structure. But the reality of commercial design work was setting in, and it felt a lot like burnout. Jen found herself wondering if she’d made a huge mistake, questioning if she should have pursued a completely different career.

The idea that would change everything started on a drive back from Chicago. They were chatting about an upcoming trip to New York, trying to get excited about something other than client work. Back home, Omar went looking for a cool map to plan their future travels but couldn't find one he truly loved. So, they decided to create their own. This personal project became their escape, a creative outlet they worked on late into the night, dreaming about all the places they wanted to see.

When the design was complete, they hit a snag. The printer they wanted to use required a minimum order of 50 maps, which would cost them $500. It was a steep price for something they only needed one of, but the project had grown to mean more than just a piece of paper. So they each chipped in $250. They hung one map on their wall, gave a few to friends, and were left with a stack of 44 prints. That's when Omar asked a simple question that kickstarted their future: "Do you think anyone would buy these?"

That night, they threw together a one-page website with a PayPal button. The next morning, they woke up to a sale. Then another, and another. A surprise mention on a popular design blog sent a flood of traffic their way, and their entire stock sold out in ten minutes. Their inbox was filled with people begging for a reprint. This little project, born from creative frustration, was suddenly looking like a viable ecommerce side hustle.

The Shift from Project to Business

Over the next few months, Jen and Omar leaned into the demand. They introduced new designs, like a New York City subway map and a neighborhood map of San Francisco. Their plan was to grow slowly and intentionally, never adding a product just for the sake of it. As trained designers, they knew everything had to feel essential. They also understood that while some customers might buy again, their real growth would come from word-of-mouth referrals. This was a classic graphic design side hustle in the making.

Just nine months after selling that first map, both had quit their day jobs. Their side hustle turned full time had completely rekindled their love for design. "It feels so liberating to have creative control," Omar said, reflecting on how much their skills had grown in just one year. They had started with a simple idea, kept their initial investment small, and didn't hesitate to put their product out there. When the market responded, they adapted, carefully building out their business one map at a time. It became a perfect example of starting a side business while employed and seeing it flourish.

Why Action Always Wins

What Jen and Omar did showcases a powerful principle: in the battle between planning and action, action almost always wins. It’s easy to get stuck creating the perfect plan that never actually launches. They stumbled into their business with almost no planning, and it became their full-time work. Here’s a breakdown of that action-oriented approach.

Start with a Marketable Idea

A marketable idea doesn’t need to be revolutionary; it just needs to be useful enough that people are willing to pay for it. Jen and Omar’s idea was simple: maybe other people would also appreciate a well-designed map. When starting a side hustle while working full time, think usefulness, not groundbreaking innovation. To see if your idea has legs, you can run it through a few simple tests. Make sure it's a problem you and a good number of other people care about. A quick search for keywords related to your idea can give you a sense of market size. Focus on solving a clear and admitted pain point—it’s always easier to sell a solution to someone who knows they have a problem.

Keep Your Costs Extremely Low

One of the smartest moves you can make is to invest your own time and effort—sweat equity—instead of cash. This approach minimizes risk and softens the blow if things don’t pan out. Jen and Omar began with a total budget of $500. Other entrepreneurs have started successful ventures with even less. This strategy is central to low cost side hustles, allowing you to test an idea without going into debt. The goal is to spend only on things that directly contribute to generating sales.

Get Your First Sale as Fast as Possible

For anyone looking to start a side hustle, the first sale is a monumental milestone. Nick Gatens, a full-time IT worker, had been trying to launch a photography project for a while but kept getting stuck. He thought the issue was technical—tweaking his website's design and code. But after being prompted, he admitted the real barrier was fear. What if no one liked his work?

He went home and put the site live that evening. Within two weeks, a complete stranger paid him $50 for a print. That first transaction, no matter how small, is incredibly validating. It proves your concept and provides the motivation to take the business more seriously. The challenge isn't competition; it's inertia. Getting that first sale is how you win. This is a critical step for any side hustle for designers or creatives who might be hesitant to share their work.

Market Before You Manufacture

It’s always a good idea to know if people actually want what you’re selling before you invest a ton of time and money into creating it. One entrepreneur tested this by advertising a $900 specialty guide for the high-end car industry in a magazine before he even created it. When two orders came in, covering his ad cost and netting a profit, he knew he had a winning idea. He then wrote to the buyers, offered them an upgraded "2.0 version" for waiting 30 days, and spent the next month frantically writing the guide. It’s an adventurous approach, but it confirms demand upfront.

Respond to What the Market Tells You

Once you have some initial results, you need to adapt. For Jen and Omar, the message was clear: make more maps. As their ecommerce side hustle grew, they also realized that making multiple trips to the post office each week wasn't a good use of their time as designers. They made the decision to outsource their shipping to a local warehouse, freeing up hours to focus on what they did best. Paying attention to what created your initial success—even if it seems like a fluke—can help you replicate it. Their side hustle to small business transition was successful because they listened and adjusted.